Auto Light and its 98,000 dealers bring you Mr. Frank Lovejoy in tonight's presentation
of Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light presents one of the most terrifying half hours ever presented on Suspense.
A young couple and a mad woman, and what happened to them on a country road? Our star, Mr. Frank
Lovejoy.
Hey, Harlow, what are you doing?
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And now, Auto Light presents Transcribed on a Country Road, starring Mr. Frank Lovejoy,
hoping once again to keep you in suspense.
Relax, David. We're in no hurry to get home.
Who can relax in this mess of traffic? Must be a wreck or something up ahead.
This keeps up, we'll get caught in the rain.
Yeah, yeah. Looks like a big storm building up too.
Hey, remember that shortcut?
Which one?
The little tarred road that goes across through Santa Moriches and comes out on the other highway.
Remember the one we took last summer?
I'll turn off there and duck this pile up. I'd like to get as far as possible before
that storm hits.
Why don't you put out your hand?
Don't get angry, David.
He cut right in front of me to turn into that gas station.
Maybe he needed gas. Do we have enough?
No, no, I had to stop and get some. Turn on the radio, huh? See if you can get the news.
Police this afternoon issued two warnings to all residents of Long Island to be on the
lookout for Nellie Goller, a middle-aged woman described as dangerous and insane.
What?
She escaped this morning from Restview Mental Hospital after fatally butchering a doctor,
a nurse and a ward attendant with a meat cleaver. This is the same Nellie Goller who a year
ago murdered three persons on a Brooklyn street, also using a meat cleaver as a weapon at that
time. This station will broadcast a full description on our regular newscast which follows in just
a few moments.
My mother-in-law.
Hey.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. At least we aren't the only crazy people on Long Island.
Why'd you change it?
I don't want to hear anymore. Why don't they just put her to sleep instead of locking her
up where she can escape and kill more people?
Who?
The woman they were talking about on the radio.
Oh, well, she can't help what she does. She's sick.
What good does that do the people who get chopped up with a meat cleaver?
I don't know. The laws were made before the doctors knew very much about the human mind.
They still don't know much.
Oh, I see what it is. There's a roadblock up ahead.
What's happened?
I don't know. Cops all over the road.
I bet they're looking for that crazy woman.
Yeah, I guess so.
Hold it a minute, please.
What's up, officer?
Oh, just a checkup. Anything in the back seat?
Just a blanket and some fishing tackle.
We've been surf fishing.
Yes, ma'am. Seen any hitchhikers?
No, no. Just traffic.
Okay. Move right along, please.
Are you looking for the crazy woman?
Move it along. Let's go.
He didn't answer.
He's busy.
What are you doing?
Listen, all residents and motorists on Long Island are warned to be on the alert for the
escaped insane woman who has been killed.
What's the matter?
I don't know.
I don't know, I don't know.
She's a mad insane woman who was somewhere on the island.
She is described as tall, broad-shouldered, gray-haired, and rather heavy.
She may still be armed with a meat cleaver.
One hundred men are searching the area, and they are prepared to shoot on sight.
Here's another bulletin on the case which just came in.
Just a few minutes ago, the decapitated bodies of an elderly man and woman were found by
police near Santa Moriches on Long Island.
Is that your corn kernel?
I'll repeat that.
She was very frozen.
This'll get us out of that traffic.
near Santa Moriches on a lonely, tarred road.
Police are certain they were killed by Nellie Galler,
the insane woman now at large.
Residents of the area are warned not to open their doors
to strangers.
Motorists are cautioned to stay off lonely roads
and not to pick up any hitchhikers.
All persons are asked to be on the lookout for this woman.
Here is her description again.
They haven't caught her yet.
No, no, turn it off, darling.
Thought you wanted to hear it.
That's enough of it.
I'll tell you.
This shortcut will save us a lot of time.
You turned off the highway.
Sure, sure.
I told you when I did it.
We've come over a mile already.
Saved us a lot of time.
But didn't you hear what the radio said about staying
off lonely roads?
We just have to go across to the other highway.
It won't take long.
Are you sure?
Of course.
We go past Santa Moriches and take the left road
and come out right by the highway bridge.
Santa Moriches?
That's where she just killed those two people.
Oh, Dorothy, stop acting like a child.
What can happen to us while we're driving?
Besides, the whole island is full of men looking
for this lunatic.
They'll catch her.
Just a storm.
You're jumping.
I'm silly.
David.
What?
Gas gauge says empty.
There's still a couple of gallons
left when a point's empty.
How long has it said empty?
I don't know.
I'll get gas when we get across to the other highway.
David, I'm scared.
Relax, honey.
Rain and wind always made you nervous as a cat.
I wish we'd stayed on the highway.
If I don't yet act like this, I would have.
Well, it's not my fault.
Well, it's not mine either.
I'm having trouble enough trying
to see through this storm.
David, what are we fighting about?
I don't know.
Driving through these burned out woods in this kind of weather
is enough to give anyone the willies.
Got dark so fast.
I can hardly see ahead, even in the headlights.
There's something ahead.
Don't stop, David.
It's only a sign.
Crazy woman.
Could be around here, you know.
I'm not picking up anyone.
I just want to know where I am.
Don't get out of the car.
I'm not.
Now calm down.
Santa Morich is that way.
We'll take this road.
Santa Morich is.
This must be the road where she killed those people.
Dorothy, please.
I'm sorry I'm jumpy.
Turn on the radio.
What a desolate road.
Haven't passed a house yet, just miles of woods
on both sides of us.
So dark we wouldn't have seen one if it were there.
This rain seems to be getting worse.
Motorists in the area are warned not to open their car doors.
Oh, now stop it, Dorothy.
That's why the police had a road block by this road.
That crazy woman might be anywhere in these woods.
But not necessarily where we are.
Oh.
What's the matter?
What a place to run out of gas.
You mean we're stuck here.
Well, for the time being.
The crazy woman is in the woods.
She'll kill us.
She's nowhere near us.
Now calm down.
David, quick.
Turn off your headlights.
Why?
You see something?
David, I don't know.
I don't know.
I'm scared.
I should have gotten gas.
Don't put the headlights on, please.
Why?
She'll see us if you do.
Oh, for Pete's sake.
I'm putting them on.
Please, David, turn them off.
Dorothy, I don't want this silly thing
to get the better of you.
Just look at the headlights.
Poking into darkness at nothing but wet bushes and trees.
Rain falling.
Please, David.
Oh, all right.
There.
There off.
You feel better sitting in the dark?
If only the thunder and lightning would stop.
The rain.
Look, Dorothy, there's no sense sitting here all night.
It's only a few minutes past 10 o'clock.
I'm going to walk up the road a bit.
There might be a house or something there.
You're not going to leave me here?
I won't let you go.
Dorothy, we can't sit here in the middle of nowhere
for the rest of the night.
We're safer here than up there.
David, she's probably hiding in these woods,
just waiting for a chance to kill us.
Come on, Dorothy.
Why should she be right here when we've run out of gas?
Why can't she be here?
Now, please, stay in the car.
Well, it's silly, but all right.
Quick, lock the doors from the inside.
Why? What is it?
Well, now she can't get in here.
She's nowhere near us.
Don't be mad at me, David.
I'm so scared.
If she is out there, she can easily smash the window.
Don't scare me anymore.
I know I'm acting silly, but I can't help it.
All right, come here.
Let me put my armor on you.
There.
Oh, David.
Put your head on my shoulder.
You forgive me, David.
You go ahead and cry.
It'll make you feel better.
Isn't there some popular music?
I'll see.
Pressing their search for the escaped insane woman
who has killed five persons since fleeing from a Long
Island mental hospital.
Rain and darkness are hampering the search.
Over 100 police are combing the wooded area
near Center Morrages.
It was near there that an elderly couple was found
butchered on a lonely tarred road.
In making her escape this morning,
the mad woman killed a doctor, a nurse, and...
We'll leave it on for a while.
It's a quiet and lonely year.
Wish it were morning.
Look, Dorothy, I'll run up the road.
There might be a house.
No, David, please.
David, listen.
You hear that?
What?
I don't hear anything.
There it is.
I don't hear.
It's a dog.
It's a little dog, Bartley.
David.
I guess it's only a lost dog.
Maybe there's a house nearby.
Or the crazy woman.
David, she's out there.
Something hit the back of the car.
It's hers.
She'll kill us.
The door locked on your side?
Yes, yes.
What if she breaks the window?
She's got a cleaver.
In that flash of lightning, I saw somebody.
Is it the crazy woman?
I can't tell.
She's lying on the road.
Can you see her?
Is she still there?
It's too dark to see.
I'll have to wait for the lightning.
I saw her.
She's getting up.
She'll kill us.
Calm down.
What's she doing?
I don't know.
She must have been running.
She didn't see the car and ran right into it.
She's out the window, David, right next to you.
Oh, my lord, look at her.
Get away from that window.
Let me in.
She's trying to get in the car.
Look at that face in her hair.
Go away.
Let me in.
I'm not crazy.
The crazy woman is after me.
David, don't let her in.
Maybe we can scare her.
Go away.
We've got a gun.
We'll shoot.
It worked.
She's staring at us.
I'm warning you, I'll shoot.
David, she's coming back.
Please don't leave me out here.
Please.
That woman will kill me.
Please.
David, take your pipe.
Hold it like a gun.
It'll look like a gun.
Where is it?
Dorothy, in the glove compartment.
Here it is.
Look.
I've got a gun.
I'm going to shoot.
She's backing away.
Keep going before I start shooting.
Oh, David, she'd go.
She disappeared.
We can't get out now.
All we can do is sit here all night and wait for help.
Can you see her?
Where did she go?
I don't know.
She's out there, though, probably planning
on how to get in the car.
David, what are we going to do?
She's the one I know.
She didn't have a cleaver.
She must have dropped it when she ran into the car.
Her face all twisted in the hanging gap.
She must be back there looking for the cleaver now.
She'll kill us.
Dorothy, stop it.
She'll kill us.
David.
Oh.
Auto Light is bringing you Mr. Frank Lovejoy with Joan Banks
and Jeanette Nolan in On a Country Road.
Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding
theater of thrills, Suspense.
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And now, Auto Light brings back to our Hollywood sound
stage, Mr. Frank Lovejoy with Joan Banks and Jeanette Nolan
in Elliot Lewis's production of On a Country Road, a tale
well calculated to keep you in suspense.
The window, David, she broke the window.
Get away from there.
Stay out of the car.
I'm coming here.
Stay out of the car, I warn you.
I've got a gun.
You wouldn't shoot me.
Go away.
You're crazy.
We know all about you.
I'm not the crazy woman.
Believe me.
Let me in.
Don't you do it, David.
She's trying to trick us.
Listen to me, please.
I've been running in this awful storm.
My car is stuck in the ditch back there.
How far back?
I don't know.
It seems like miles.
I've heard about the crazy woman on the radio.
I was afraid to stay in the car alone.
Let me in.
No, David.
Go back to your own car.
No, it's so dark and so lonely in this storm.
I locked the door, but I was afraid I could see things
and hear things in the darkness.
I just couldn't stand it anymore.
I got out and ran in the rain.
And oh, it's awful.
That's why I look like this.
It's the rain.
I'm not the crazy woman.
Let me in.
Please let me in.
Dorothy, maybe she isn't the crazy woman.
Maybe she's just scared and exhausted.
No, David, she's the one.
I know.
The crazy woman had a cleaver.
Look, I'm not armed.
The three of us will be safer together.
She makes sense to me, Dorothy.
We would be safer with one more person.
David, I don't know.
Let me in, please.
Oh, I'm wet to the skin.
I'm going to unlock the door, Dorothy.
David.
All right, get in.
Make one move and I'll shoot you.
Oh.
It's so good to sit down.
There's a blanket on the floor back there.
Try to dry yourself off with it.
The darkness and the rain, it was enough
to drive me out of my mind.
Try and rest.
I ran and ran.
All I could hear was feet chasing after me, hunting me.
Just take it easy.
No.
You live near here?
A farther out, near Rest View.
I used to live in Brooklyn.
Rest View.
That's the mental hospital.
I know.
I'm used to the crazy people, but not a night
in a lonely place like this, not the kind who kill people.
You live at Rest View?
No, just near there.
David, we can't sit here not knowing.
If we could get to a phone.
A phone? Why?
To call the police, get some help.
No, don't do that.
Why not?
Why don't you want the police?
Oh, I do.
But you'd be killed.
What do you mean?
The woman should kill him if he goes away from this car.
There's that dog again.
Don't you hear it?
Somebody's out there.
There might be a house nearby.
Maybe it's barking to be let in.
It senses somebody.
There's something out there.
There's somebody.
That's why it's barking.
The crazy woman is creeping around out there.
Quick, let's get away before we're caught.
Look out, David.
Let go of me.
What are you trying to do?
Start the car, quick.
We'll get away.
We're out of gas.
Out of gas?
You don't think we parked here for the fun of it, do you?
It's a desolate place to run out of gas.
David, it's not barking.
What does it mean?
David, we're so helpless.
She can kill us easily.
You can't just sit here.
We've got to get away.
I'm not a magician, lady.
I can't make gasoline out of rain.
We can't stay here the whole night.
You hear me?
Let go of me.
There's nothing I can do.
Try something.
Anything.
Don't just sit there.
You're scaring me, David.
Stop it.
Cut it out.
You'll have us all in hysterics.
All right.
All right, I'm sorry.
Look, I got an idea.
Give me your gun.
Why?
Why, I'll tell you.
I want it.
Give it to me.
David, what's the matter with her?
Listen to me.
I'm all right.
But I can't sit here all night.
I'd go crazy.
Give me the gun.
I'll go.
I won't be afraid of the dark.
And the noise is the feet following me.
I'll go, I promise you.
But give me the gun.
No.
Now sit down.
Please.
I'll go.
I promise.
I can't stand sitting in the dark like this.
Can't you stop her, David?
I told you to shut up.
If you don't, I'll make you get out of the car.
No, you wouldn't.
Not unarmed.
Not into the woods again.
Oh, you're nice people, aren't you?
But do you want me to leave so you can shoot me?
Is that it?
Oh, stop that.
We're not going to shoot you.
We haven't got a gun.
It's only a pipe.
A pipe?
A smoking pipe?
David, I'm sorry.
Then you unarmed.
I'm sorry, David.
It's all right.
Why did you tell me you had a gun?
Why does it make a difference to you whether I'm armed or not?
I don't know you.
Maybe you two are more dangerous than the crazy woman.
Well, I'll tell you what I think.
I think you are the crazy woman, the way you
grabbed David when you wanted him to start the car.
Stop it.
Don't excite her.
Don't excite me?
Why?
Maybe you think I'm dangerous, an old woman you took into your car,
two of you, and you're afraid of me.
We're not afraid of you.
Now, sit back in that seat and don't try anything.
I'm watching you all the time.
David, the storm is stopping.
Maybe now is the time.
The time for what?
What are you going to do?
You two are up to something.
Oh, shut up.
My wife meant now is the time to go for help.
I did not.
I meant now is the time for us to escape, David.
Can't you see it?
She's the one.
She's going to kill him.
No, let her.
Stop it.
Sit back in that seat.
You haven't got a gun.
No, but I've got a knife.
David.
It's my jackknife, but it's sharp and strong.
I don't try any tricks.
All right.
Threaten me.
Watch me while that woman is out there.
All you can do is sit and wait for her to make the next move.
She can kill us like that old man and woman.
It must have been on this same road.
They were in their car too.
They must have let her in.
We'll leave then.
The three of us.
We'll walk.
We'll stay close together.
Say we'll be quiet.
Anyone hiding in the woods won't hear us.
Don't you get out of the car, David.
We'll be killed.
How would we find our way?
It's too dark.
Oh, we'll find our way.
Look out there.
The road is full of shadows.
Get her out of the car, David.
She wants to kill us.
Kill you?
If you want to go, why don't you leave?
You don't need us.
We're willing to stay here until help comes.
I'd be helpless alone if I had a gun.
Oh, why doesn't somebody come?
Where are the police?
I can't stand this.
Nobody will come.
There's no one in these woods.
They're burned out and deserted.
Dorothy, honey, honey, please.
Oh, it was your idea to use this road.
You wouldn't listen to me.
I couldn't help it.
I got lost.
Well, why don't you do something,
not just sit there waiting and waiting?
Do something before we're murdered.
Are you so help?
All right.
I'm going to do something.
I'll go for help.
That's it.
Get help.
David, in her hand, I saw it in the moonlight.
It glittered.
What is it?
Your wife is hysterical.
She was holding it, a long piece of broken glass,
long and pointed.
See?
See, she doesn't answer.
She's just watching us.
What's she waiting for?
It's from the broken window.
That's where she got it.
So what if I have it?
I'm not going to sit here defenseless.
She's going to attack us.
Don't be silly.
It was all right for you to have a knife.
Why can't I be armed for whatever may come?
Give me that broken glass.
Give it to you?
You think I'm crazy?
You couldn't protect us from anything.
David, what are you doing?
Why are you climbing over the seat?
I won't do it.
I'm through letting my wife be terrified.
Now give me that glass.
Stay away from me.
Once I left the car, you were going to butcher
my wife with that broken glass.
No, no.
David.
Give me that broken glass.
Give me that glass.
You're crazy.
Let me alone.
Hold it, David.
Don't let her free.
She's strong.
She's got my arm.
You'll kill me.
Drop that glass.
She dropped it, David.
She dropped it.
You both gone crazy trying to kill me.
It's like you were going to murder us.
I wasn't.
Don't let her get free.
I can't hold her.
She's strong.
If you have a knife, then I'll have glass.
Hold her, David.
Hold her.
I can't hold her.
She's strong.
I can't hold her.
Hold her, David.
Hold her.
I can't, much longer.
I'm not crazy.
Please believe me.
Just give me the knife.
That's all.
She's got my throat.
You're killing me.
Your knife.
David, use your knife.
You killed her.
David, you killed the crazy woman.
I couldn't help it.
She was choking me.
You, you cut her with blood.
She was gonna kill us.
Flights.
A car is coming.
Help's coming.
Hey there.
You in the car.
Why are you parked here?
I want the police at last.
We ran out of gas.
The crazy woman.
One night to run out of gas.
You couldn't have picked a better spot.
What with that woman running around loose.
Obviously, obviously, we wanted to tell you.
A farmer up the road called.
He said his dog's been barking at something.
We caught her.
Who'd you catch?
The crazy woman.
She's in the back seat.
Dead.
What?
Oh, she's alive.
Badly hurt, though.
She was trying to kill us.
We fought.
We went to the hospital.
You come with me.
It's lucky you didn't kill her.
We captured that crazy woman a half hour ago.
I don't know who this lady is.
Come on.
Give me a hand with her.
Suspense.
Led by Auto Light, the night star, Mr. Frank Lovejoy.
This is Harlow Wilcock speaking for Auto Light, the world's largest independent manufacturer
of automotive electrical equipment.
In 28 plants from coast to coast, Auto Light makes over 400 products for cars, trucks,
tractors, planes, boats, and industry.
These products include batteries such as the famous Auto Light Stay Full, ignition engineered
Auto Light spark plugs, both standard and resistor types, voltage regulators, wire and
battery cable, Auto Light bullseye sealed beam units, and Auto Light original service
parts for all Auto Light electrical systems.
Auto Light is proud to serve the greatest names in the industry.
So from bumper to tail light, you're always right with Auto Light.
Next week, a story based on fact as we examine a city in terror of its life, a dramatic report
which we call One Man Crime Wave.
Our star, Mr. Dana Andrews.
That's next week on Suspense.
Suspense is transcribed and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morrowick
and conducted by Lut Bluskin.
On a country road was written for Suspense by Walter Bazar.
In tonight's story, Joan Banks was heard as Dorothy and Jeanette Nolan as the woman.
Featured in the cast were Joseph Kearns and William Woodson.
Frank Lovejoy will be seen starring in the forthcoming United Artists Technicolor picture,
Beach Head.
You can buy Auto Light standard or resistor type spark plugs, Auto Light original service
parts, and Auto Light Stay Full batteries at your neighborhood Auto Light dealers.
Switch to Auto Light.
Good night.
This is the CBS Radio Network.